Try out some of these TOUGH Chess Puzzles!

Chess puzzles are a great way to improve pattern recognition and get better at playing chess! Today we'll review some really tough puzzles and look at solving them after! Remember to pause and try to solve each puzzle before scrolling down for the answer(unless you don't want to that is). Comment down below how many you were able to get correct, and if you enjoyed solving them! Without further ado, lets get puzzle-solving! 

Notation wise # = checkmate

Puzzle #1 - White to play and mate in two moves

Hint: The key move in this puzzle has the movement of the white queen.

Answer: The key move is Qf3. If Black's queen takes White's queen with check via Qf3+, White's rook moves to e4#. If Black's b2 pawn moves to b1, White's rook moves to c2#.
If Black's rook takes White's queen, White’s rook moves to g4#.
If Black's king moves to b3, White's knight moves to c1#.

If Black plays any other move, White's knight on d3 moves to b4#.

Hopefully you were able to solve this one, and if not, you needn't worry, every mistake helps you learn!

Puzzle #2 - Can you find the winning combination for white??

This is a fascinating endgame study composed by Emanuel Lasker who was World Chess Champion for 26 years! That's the record so far, and it reigns unsurmountable!....for now.

Answer: The winning move in this position is Rc8+! This was a fascinating idea of sacrificing the rook! Note that Black has to accept the sacrifice. After rook takes rook via Rxc8, white plays another stunning Qxa7+. Sacrificing the Queen!!! It's absolutely genius when you analyze this! Black King then has to capture on a7. And from here, White plays the killer move bxc8 and under promotes to a Knight, forking the King and the Queen! White can then capture the black queen, and is completely winning due to the connected passed pawns on the h and g file!

Post in the comments below if you were able to get this correct!

Puzzle #3 - White to play and checkmate in two moves

Answer: The key to this puzzle is White’s bishop on a7 moves to g1. From here

1. If Black moves the pawn to e4 it’s checkmate:  Nb4#

2. If Black moves its knight to e4 it’s the same checkmate: Nb4#

3. If Black moves the knight to anywhere else: Nf3xe5#

4. If Black moves its bishop anywhere:  Qc4# or Nb4#

5. If Black’s King takes the knight on c6: Nxe5#

That's all for today! If you enjoy this type of content make sure to comment down below your feedback and thoughts, and remember to follow me and share this post with your friends! Peace out...